Etna Township seeking 1.5-mill road and bridge levy

Etna Township will ask voters to approve a five-year, 1.5-mill levy that would generate $503,400 annually to fund road and bridge repairs.

If approved, the levy would cost property owners $45.94 per year per $100,000 of assessed property value.

Township Fiscal Officer Walter Rogers said 75 percent of Etna Township roads are within subdivisions, which cost more to pave because of various restrictions that must be followed.

He said it costs $75,000 to pave an average township road and $100,000 to pave the same length of road inside of a subdivision.

"We are unique for most townships in that 75 percent of our lane mileage is in subdivisions, which require more street-like improvements, which run easily 20 to 25 percent higher than your average township road," Rogers said.

The township collects $238,826 annually in state funds that can be used to work on its 51 miles of roads and purchase salt to clear roads in the winter.

The township also collects a permissive license tax for residents' license plate renewals. Rogers said that generates $50,000 to $52,000 annually for road repairs. If this levy passes, the township will request the license plate fee be removed, he said.

Trustee John Carlisle said the township is down to working on 2.5 miles of roads annually because of its budget.

If each improvement lasts 12 years, he said, "It would take us 20 years to get to all of it (the work)."

Rogers said the township seeks grants for road improvements, such as the improvements to widen Taylor Road. That project is being funded with $1 million from the township and a $2.5 million grant from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission.